Ryan Lochte Seeking Treatment for Alcohol Addiction

Olympic swimmer Ryan Lochte is fighting a battle with alcoholism.

The 34-year-old's lawyer Jeff Ostrow told TMZ, “Ryan has been battling... alcohol addiction for many years and unfortunately it has become a destructive pattern for him. He has acknowledged that he needs professional assistance to overcome his problem and will be getting help immediately.”

Ostrow added, “Ryan knows that conquering this disease now is a must for him to avoid making future poor decisions, to be the best husband and father he can be, and if he wants to achieve his goal to return to dominance in the pool in his 5th Olympics in Tokyo in 2020."

The news comes just a day after a drunken incident at a Newport Beach hotel. Lochte allegedly damaged his hotel door after trying to kick his way into his room.

Last year, Lochte opened up about his drunken behavior on his past reality show “What Would Ryan Lochte Do?” He told ESPN The Magazine, “They had me drinking nonstop. Eight in the morning, a drink in my hand. I'm like, 'My liver is about to fail.'”

Two years ago, Lochte faced criticism for his false reporting of an armed robbery in Brazil. When Matt Lauer asked why he had fabricated the story, Lochte confessed, “I was still intoxicated. I was still under that influence, and I'm not making me being intoxicated an excuse. It was my fault, and I shouldn't have said that.”